************************************************************* THE TANACH STUDY CENTER [http://www.tanach.org] In Memory of Rabbi Abraham Leibtag Shiurim in Chumash & Navi by Menachem Leibtag ************************************************************* Yehoshua - chapters 1 & 2 Did God keep His promise? In our introductory shiur, we explained how and why Sefer Yehoshua should be studied as a prophetic 'composition', and posited that it was written to prove to the people that God had indeed kept His promise in regard to the conquest of the Land - even though there remained many areas of Eretz Canaan that were not conquered. We begin our shiur with an explanation of how this assumption can help us understand the opening section of the book. WHAT EXACTLY DID GOD PROMISE? A cursory reading of Chumash certainly leaves the reader with the impression that God had promised the 'Promised Land' to the people of Israel. Not only did God repeat this promise numerous times to the forefathers (see Breishit 12:7, 13:14- 16, 15:18, 17:8, 26:3, 35:9-13); He stated it explicitly to Moshe Rabbeinu at the burning bush: "I am going down to save them from the hands of Egypt, and bring them to that [Promised] Land ..." (see Shmot 3:8 ) and later on in His poignant address to the people of Israel, before the Ten Plagues were about to begin: "... And I will bring you to the Land that I stretched My Hand out to give it to Avraham, Yitzchak, & Yaakov, and I am giving it now to you as an inheritance - I am God" (see Shmot 3:8 ) From these sources alone, one certainly gets the impression that God had promised to give this Land to His people. Nonetheless, as the more precise details of God's covenant with His nation unfold at Matan Torah, a very different picture emerges. Indeed, God has promised the Land, but only on the condition that His nation abides by His laws: "Behold I am sending a an angel before you, to guard you [from enemies] on your way and to help bring you into the place which I have prepared [i.e. the Land of Israel]. Take heed of him, and hearken unto his voice; be not rebellious against him; for he will not pardon your transgression; for My name is in him. But if you indeed hearken unto his voice, and do all that I speak; then I will be an enemy to your enemies, and an adversary to your adversaries..." (see Shmot 23:20- 24). In fact, due to their repeated unfaithfulness, the generation that left Egypt was found not worthy of receiving the Land, and hence they perished in the desert (see Bamidbar 14:22-23 & 14:31-35). But even as the new generation prepared to conquer the land, Moshe Rabbeinu had to remind Bnei Yisrael over and over again that God's promise of the Land was only on the condition that they keep His laws. Let's quote from one of these warnings in Sefer Devarim, as it will be alluded to in the opening psukim of Sefer Yehoshua: "For if you shall diligently keep all this commandment which I command you, to do it, to love the LORD your God, to walk in all His ways, and to cleave unto Him - then God will drive out all these nations from before you, and you shall dispossess nations greater and mightier than yourselves" (see Devarim 12:22-23). The logic behind this conditional promise is quite obvious. Considering that God had promised this land to His people towards the goal of their acting as His 'model nation' (see Devarim 4:5-8 and Yeshayahu 42:5-6, and the TSC series on Breishit); should Bnei Yisrael not keep God's laws, there would be little value in their settlement of the Land. But even should Bnei Yisrael keep God's laws, we find yet another condition. As his speech continues in Sefer Devarim, Moshe Rabbeinu explains quite clearly that God will not conquer the Land for them. Rather, God will only assist them in their conquest: "Every place whereon the sole of your foot shall tread shall be yours: from the wilderness, and Lebanon, from the river, the river Euphrates, even unto the hinder sea shall be your border. No fighting man shall be able to stand against you: the LORD your God will lay the fear & dread of you upon all the land that you shall tread upon, as He had spoken unto you..." (see Devarim 12:24-25) In other words, God has promised to help Bnei Yisrael 'help themselves'. Wherever 'they shall tread' - i.e. whenever they will take the initiative to attack their enemies - God will assist them in battle. However, this also implies that should Bnei Yisrael remain passive, and not take an initiative, God will not do the fighting for them. THE OPENING LINES OF SEFER YEHOSHUA It is not by chance, that we find precisely this phrase in the opening verses of Sefer Yehoshua. If indeed this book was written by the navi to explain how God had kept His promise, while the people had been lax in their efforts - it would be a very logical way to begin the Sefer: "And it came to pass after the death of Moshe, the servant of God, that the LORD spoke unto Yehoshua bin Nun... Arise, go over this Jordan, you, and all this people, unto the land that I am giving to the children of Israel: Every place that the sole of your foot shall tread upon, to you have I given it, as I spoke unto Moshe - From the wilderness, and this Lebanon, even unto the great river, the river Euphrates, all the land of the Hittites, and unto the Great Sea toward the going down of the sun, shall be your border. No fighting man shall be able to stand before you..." (see Yehoshua 1:1-5, noting the obvious textual parallels to Devarim 11:22-25) God explains this to Yehoshua, the new leader (after Moshe's death), as it now becomes his responsibility to lead that initiative. Therefore, God must also encourage Yehoshua (no less than three times) to gather the necessary courage to undertake this task: "chazak ve-ematz" - Be strong and of good courage; for you shall cause this people to inherit the land which I swore unto their fathers to give them. (see Yehoshua 1:6) Carefully note the wording of this pasuk - Yehoshua 'shall cause' God's covenant to be fulfilled - noting how God has basically informed Yehoshua that it has become his responsibility to fulfill the very same promise that God Himself had made to their forefathers! Surely God will help, but Yehoshua must take the initiative. At this critical point, God also reminds Yehoshua of the other condition, also mentioned in Sefer Devarim - that Bnei Yisrael will only be worthy of Divine assistance should they follow God's laws: "Only be strong and very courageous, to observe to do according to all the law, which Moshe My servant commanded you; turn not from it to the right hand or to the left, that you shall enjoy success where ever thou go This book of the TORAH shall not depart out of your mouth, but your shall consult it day and night, so that you will observe to do according to all that is written therein; for only then you shall prosper and succeed. Have not I commanded you - Be strong and of good courage; do not fear or be dismayed: for the LORD thy God is with thee where ever you go. (see 1:7-10) The success of the conquest will hinge on these two conditions - that Bnei Yisrael must take the initiative, and keep God's laws. As we will see, Sefer Yehoshua will focus on how Bnei Yisrael did not fulfill the condition that they must take the initiative; while Sefer Shoftim will focus on how Bnei Yisrael were punished for not observing God's laws. TRANSITION OF LEADERSHIP One could suggest an additional reason for God's repeated encouragement to Yehoshua of "chazak ve-ematz" - to be strong and courageous" (see 1:6-9 & 1:18, note as well Devarim 3:28 and 31:1-10!), that relates to the change of leadership. Recall that Moshe Rabbeinu, a prophet in a league of his own (Bamidbar 12:6-9, Devarim 34:10-12), had been the national leader for the past forty years. Even though Yehoshua had been publicly appointed as Moshe’s successor (Bamidbar 27:15- 23, Devarim 31:1-9), it still remained a formidable challenge for him to successfully take over Moshe’s position. At this critical time, Yehoshua needed not only to prepare Benei Yisrael to conquer the land. He also needed to replace Moshe as the nation's leader. God also reminds Yehoshua that the Torah (primarily Sefer Devarim) must be his guide for HOW he is to conquer the land (see 1:7-8). (Recall that chapters 6-11 of Sefer Devarim describe the proper attitude that Bnei Yisrael must have when conquering the land, while chapters 12-26 contain numerous mitzvot that Bnei Yisrael must fulfill once they enter the land - see shiurim on Parshiot Va’etchanan, Re'eh and Shoftim). THE NATION PREPARES FOR BATTLE This background can help us appreciate why the book now records how Yehoshua immediately commands the nation to prepare for crossing the Jordan and the battle that will ensue: "Then Yehoshua commanded the officers... saying: 'Pass through the midst of the camp, and command the people, saying: Prepare your equipment; for within three days we are to pass over this Jordan, to conquer the land, which God has given you to possess! (see 1:10-11). Note once again that the people must prepare to conquer the land that 'God has given them - to possess! In other words, God is not giving them the land, rather He is giving them the opportunity to take it. Note as well the interesting phrase "hachinu lachem tzeida" [prepare your equipment] in the above pasuk. It's not quite clear what the word "tzeida" refers to; however, the mention of this phrase at this time may serve as a contrasting parallel to the similar phrase in the story of the Exodus - "ve-gam tzeida lo assu lahem" (see Shmot 12:39). In contrast to the first generation - who were not 'prepared' - hopefully, this generation will be different, and properly prepare themselves for the tasks that lie ahead! We can also now better appreciate why Yehoshua immediately turns to the tribes of Reuven, Gad & Menashe to remind them of their promise to lead the nation in battle (see 1:12-18). As you review those psukim, note especially: "but you shall pass over before your brethren armed, all the mighty men of war, and shall help them" (see 1:14). As the entire nation must join in this initiative, the cooperation of the two and half tribes is critical - for they will form the 'front line' in the battles against the walled cities. Finally, this can also help us understand why Yehoshua sends two military spies to scout out Jericho (see chapter two). Based on this action, it appears that Yehoshua has taken his own initiative, taking the first step in planning his battle for the conquest of that city - by gathering intelligence. It also seems that Yehoshua was not yet aware of God's intention to conquer Jericho via a miracle. Now that Bnei Yisrael have taken the first step, God will later intervene and provide them with 'miraculous' assistance (as He had promised Moshe). This assistance, and its purpose, will be described in chapters three thru six (and explained in our shiurim on those chapters). YERUSHA VE-NACHALA Before we continue our study, is it important to mention another set of psukim from Sefer Bamidbar, where we find God's explicit commandment to Bnei Yisrael - that it becomes their responsibility to conquer the land. After briefly summarizing Bnei Yisrael's journey from Egypt until their arrival at Arvot Moav (33:1-49), the Torah records God’s command to Moshe as follows: "Speak to Bnei Yisrael and tell them: As you cross over the Jordan River to the land of Canaan, You must conquer ("VE-HORASHTEM") all the inhabitants of the land and destroy all of their idols... And you must conquer the land ("VE-HORASHTEM ET HA-ARETZ") and settle in it, for I have given it to you to conquer it ("laRESHET otah")" (33:50-53). Note the emphasis on the key word "YERUSHA" in these psukim. Note also that it seems to imply an ACTIVE conquest, as opposed to the way we normally think of inheritance (as in an heir’s passive receipt of property after the death of its owner). God commands B’nei Yisrael, in this first stage, that they must first achieve military sovereignty over the nations of Canaan - ve-horashtem - to fulfill God's promise to Avraham Avinu at brit bein ha-betarim (see Bereishit 15:1-20). [Note how the shoresh "yerusha" appears five times in that chapter, where God promises the Land to Avraham's offspring, but only after their redemption from bondage in a "strange land". Note as well how that chapter follows the story of Avraham Avinu's military conquest of Eretz Canaan (after defeating the four kings in battle).] However, this military conquest is only the first stage. God's commandment to Bnei Yisrael continues: "And you shall settle the land ("VE-HITNACHALTEM ET HA- ARETZ")... according to the tribes of your forefathers you shall settle it ("TITNACHALU"). (Bamidbar 33:54) Note the key word "NACHALA" in this pasuk, which implies SETTLEMENT of the land, i.e. setting up homes and working the land. Thus, it is not enough to simply conquer the land. It must be subsequently settled and cultivated. There are thus two steps, YERUSHA and NACHALA, in this commandment. These two phases constitute the basis for the structure of Sefer Yehoshua, which can clearly be divided into two distinct sections, corresponding to these two commandments: 1) Chapters 1-12: - The military CONQUEST of the land by Yehoshua’s entire army. 2) Chapters 13-22: - The actual SETTLEMENT of the Land by each tribe. In our study, we will show how the first half of Sefer Yehoshua presents a prophetic perspective on how Bnei Yisrael CONQUERED the land, emphasizing how God assisted them whenever they took the initiative - while the second section provides a prophetic perspective on how it was (and was not) SETTLED. Note that the "song" (see 12:9-24) that lists the 31 defeated kings of Canaan forms an appropriate conclusion to the CONQUEST unit, and "sets the stage" for the SETTLEMENT unit that is to follow. (In later shiurim, we will see how this division of the sefer will help explain various difficulties in the text.) The YERUSHA section itself (chapters 1-12) can be divided into two distinct sub-sections. The first five chapters describe Bnei Yisrael's PREPARATION for the conquest, while chapters 6-12 describe the various BATTLES. How does God prepare B’nei Yisrael for this conquest? What does He do to ensure that this new generation will be more successful than their parents were? In the shiurim that follow, we will see how Sefer Yehoshua will deal primarily with the nation's SPIRITUAL preparation for this mission. CHAPTER TWO - THE SPIES (AGAIN?) Chapter two tells the story of the spies, whom Yehoshua sends to check out the area of Jericho. At first glance, this act may seem rather unwise; after all, forty years earlier this same act of sending spies led to "chet ha-meraglim" and Bnei Yisrael's refusal to take the challenge of conquering the land. Why would Yehoshua now repeat the same "mistake"? Nevertheless, a careful comparison of the two events shows that they have very little in common. Moshe Rabbeinu's spies were tribal leaders sent by the nation as a public "fact- finding mission" to determine the feasibility of conquering the land. Yehoshua's spies were sent secretly by Yehoshua himself, for purely military purposes, i.e. in order to help him plan HOW to capture Jericho! Therefore, they reported back only to Yehoshua and not to the entire nation. (See TSC shiur on Parshat Shlach for a more complete explanation of this distinction). From this story, we can conclude that Yehoshua's original plan was to capture Jericho in a natural manner ("be-derech ha- teva" – not miraculously). The spies' mission is to check out the overall morale of the city, and to possibly find a weak spot in the city's defenses, or maybe even a "collaborator" (such as Rachav) who would help them enter the city. Nonetheless, as Sefer Yehoshua retells those events, it also emphasizes how God had already been instrumental in 'scaring' Bnei Yisrael's enemies . For example, note what is quoted from the conversation between the spies and Rachav: "...she [Rachav] came up unto them upon the roof and said unto the men: 'I know that the LORD has given you the land, and that your terror is fallen upon us, and that all the inhabitants of the land melt away before you. For we have heard how the LORD dried up the water of the Red Sea before you, when ye came out of Egypt; and what you did unto the two kings of the Amorites, that were beyond the Jordan, unto Sihon and to Og, whom ye utterly destroyed. And as soon as we had heard it, our hearts did melt, neither did there remain any more spirit in any man, because of you; for the LORD your God, He is God in heaven above, and on earth beneath..." (see 2:8-12) Here we find yet another example of how Sefer Yehoshua emphasizes how God had kept His promise to help Bnei Yisrael conquer the Land. Note this very same point in the final pasuk of this chapter, where Sefer Yehoshua summarizes the gist of the spies report to Yehoshua: "And they said unto Yehoshua: 'Truly the LORD has delivered into our hands all the land; and moreover all the inhabitants of the land do melt away before us." (see 2:24) In the next shiur, we will discuss the basic military problems that Yehoshua faced, and their connection to the miracle of splitting the Jordan River. We will also begin our discussion of the numerous parallels between Sefer Yehoshua and the events of Yetziat Mitzrayim in Sefer Shmot, and their thematic purpose.